Commons
Westminster Hall
24 June 2026
Farming: Financial Sustainability
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Turner. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for North Northumberland (David Smith) for securing this debate, which I know resonates deeply with many farming families living and working in my constituency.
Farming is more than a job: it is a lifest…
Commons
Oral Questions
Housing, Communities and Local Government
15 June 2026
Topical Questions
Leaseholders at Southend’s Meridien Point are trapped in an unbearable financial situation, as a result of an internal defects bill of £3 million, and a £450,000 fight against the building developer. Their block is 18 metres in height, and they are not entitled to funding for the support that they d…
Commons
Debate
20 May 2026
2 contributions
Defence Readiness
My belief in the importance of national defence is rooted in the single, simple idea that the United Kingdom is a nation inherently worth defending—not because of tradition or nostalgia, but because of the values of decency, respect, hard work and community that continue to define our society and ca…
I apologise, but I will not give way, because I am conscious that other Members want to speak.
All too often, we hear from SMEs in the defence sector that access to funding is limited, slow-moving and difficult to secure. All too often, we see innovative British companies sell up or even relocate o…
Commons
Debate
27 April 2026
Northern Ireland Troubles Bill (Carry-over)
This debate is deeply personal for me, because, in addition to being the Member for Southend East and Rochford, I am a proud former paratrooper.
For me and countless others with military backgrounds like my own, the legacy of the troubles is not a distant memory but something that our community con…
Commons
Oral Questions
27 April 2026
Topical Questions
I welcome the £2.5 million funding boost recently awarded to South Essex college; that will help equip even more residents from Southend and Rochford with the skills needed for fulfilling, lifelong careers. Following my conversations with Louisa Strachan, founder of Song School in Southend, on their…
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
16 March 2026
Defence Investment Plan
As a former Parachute Regiment reservist, I warmly welcome the Government’s clear focus on strengthening our armed forces and their defensive capability. Although the appetite for service remains high, the bureaucracy we inherited is holding back recruitment. Will the Secretary of State outline the …
Commons
Westminster Hall
11 March 2026
Rough Sleeping: Families with Children
I am pleased to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Murrison.
I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool Wavertree (Paula Barker) for securing the debate. I also thank my friend and colleague, my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme (Lee Pitcher) for his impassioned …
Commons
Westminster Hall
10 March 2026
Technology Sovereignty
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Vaz. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West (Dame Chi Onwurah) for securing this timely and vital debate.
In a world that is increasingly reliant on secure and stable access to digital technology, whether that…
Commons
Proceedings
5 March 2026
Business of the House
I understand that in the United Kingdom, our universities operate as businesses independent from the Government. However, given the unacceptable lack of transparency from the senior leadership team at the University of Essex on the decision to close its Southend campus, can the Leader of the House f…
Commons
Oral Questions
5 March 2026
2 contributions
Topical Questions
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
I thank the Minister for that response. Small businesses are the backbone of our local economies, but in my constituency, sunny Southend East and Rochford, they are held back by traffic congestion on the A127. What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that local infrastructure projects, such as a …
Commons
Ministerial Statement
4 March 2026
China: Foreign Interference Arrests
The conflict in Iran is deeply concerning, and I was glad to see that the Government’s flights are set to leave the middle east tonight. What more can my colleagues and I do to protect those stuck in the region from bad faith actors?
Commons
Westminster Hall
4 February 2026
Postal Services: Rural Areas
It is an honour to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stringer. I thank the hon. Member for South Shropshire (Stuart Anderson) for securing this important debate. I have heard from many constituents about the challenges they face in receiving reliable and consistent postal services, so I am grateful …
Commons
Westminster Hall
26 January 2026
Animal Rescue Centres
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Alec. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Irene Campbell) for securing this debate on a very important issue to many of my residents.
The discovery of dozens of deceased dogs at the South Essex rehoming facility last…
Commons
Oral Questions
Education
19 January 2026
Topical Questions
T5. The decision by the University of Essex to close its Southend campus has sent shockwaves through my city. Students deserve continuity of study and staff deserve job security. Will the Minister outline what steps the Government are taking to secure an alternative provider for the courses that are…
Commons
Debate
12 January 2026
5 contributions
Higher Education: Government Support
I am pleased to have secured this debate on Government support for higher education. The UK is home to some of the world’s most respected universities and we all benefit from the opportunities, knowledge and growth they create—whether it is for young people pursuing exciting academic ambitions, memb…
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his contribution and welcome his comments. Indeed, the business model that a lot of universities have used over the past 14 years has meant that they have focused on international students, which is one of the reasons that we are having this debate.
Passionate staff f…
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
8 December 2025
2 contributions
Digital ID
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Edward. I am here because I have been contacted by countless residents who are deeply concerned about the Government’s announcement on the introduction of digital ID to provide the right to work—that was a mouthful. Their concerns are legitimate…
I am sorry, but I will carry on.
There is also a question of practicality. In reality, will digital ID prevent employers from hiring individuals who do not have the right to work, or will it simply introduce another layer of bureaucracy without addressing the roots of the problem?
Many constituent…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
13 November 2025
Business of the House
On the matter of remembrance, my constituent Frank Turvey’s brother was Lance Corporal Brian Turvey, nicknamed “Topsy”. He was just 20 years of age when he was killed in a terrorist attack in Famagusta on 4 May 1958 while on military police duties in Cyprus, just one day before he was due to return …
Commons
Oral Questions
13 November 2025
2 contributions
Water Company Executives: Accountability
12. What steps she is taking to increase the accountability of water company executives.
After 14 years of water bosses profiting while sewage has spilled into our waterways, this Government are finally setting the record straight. In Southend East and Rochford, we have several organisations dedicated to protecting and preserving our coastlines, from Southend Against Sewage to Waterwatc…
Commons
Westminster Hall
29 October 2025
Wet Wipes: Plastic Ban
I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Fleur Anderson) for securing this important debate. I appreciate her tireless work to ban plastic fibres in wet wipes.
Wet wipes are an everyday household item. When flushed, they do not break down. They block sewers, pollute waterways and harm marine l…
Commons
Oral Questions
Cabinet Office
23 October 2025
2 contributions
Civil Service: Opportunities outside London
11. What steps he is taking to increase opportunities to work in the civil service for people who live outside London.
The Government’s plan to relocate civil service jobs outside London will bring high-quality jobs across the United Kingdom and ensure that policy is delivered closer to the communities it serves. However, none of the areas identified for that relocation is in the east of England, and notably, none i…
Commons
Westminster Hall
15 October 2025
Knife Crime
I can say that my own life has been changed through knife crime, having been attacked on some occasions in my youth. I have lost some friends to knife crime and over the last 25 years, when I have been mentoring people, I have supported families who have lost loved ones.
The pain that we see in tho…
Commons
Debate
14 October 2025
2 contributions
Mental Health Bill [Lords]
Will the Minister give way?
I had the privilege of meeting Helena and Christina, who shared with me the challenges they faced when their mother was sectioned when they were young girls. For two weeks, the responsibility for care was left entirely in their hands while local services struggled to find a suitable bed. Can the Min…
Commons
Oral Questions
Home Department
15 September 2025
Topical Questions
T2. Antisocial behaviour, including cars producing excessive noise along the Southend seafront and Westcliff roads, has long affected my constituents. Southend city council, Essex police and I are working hard to address those issues. Will the Home Secretary set out how the Government are going furt…
Commons
Westminster Hall
10 September 2025
Occupied Palestinian Territories: Humanitarian Access
The sheer volume of correspondence that I have received from my constituents about the restriction of aid going into the Occupied Palestinian Territories is vast—unprecedented. Israel has weaponised the flow of aid into Gaza. The loss of life and the destruction of homes and schools is horrifying. D…
Commons
Proceedings
4 September 2025
Business of the House
This summer has been busy in Southend. Most importantly, this weekend we hosted City Jam, a jam-packed live street art festival. Will the Leader of the House join me in commending all the organisers who took part in producing such an incredible event, solidifying our flourishing cultural scene, from…